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Thera 1.62: Vajji-putta
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(62):Vajji-putta Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =62. Vajji-putta1= He was born in this Buddha-age at Vesālī, in the family of a councillor,2 and was named Vajji-son. He saw the majesty of the Exalted One(Buddha) when the latter came to Vesālī, believed, entered the Monk’s order, and after his novice initiate lived in a wood near Vesālī. Now a festival took place at Vesālī, and there was dancing, singing and reciting, all the people happily enjoying the festival. And the sound of that distracted the bhikkhu, so that he quitted his solitude, gave up his exercise, and showed forth his disgust in this verse: Each by himself we in the forest live, Like logs rejected by the woodman's craft. So move the days one like another by, Who more unlucky in their lot than we? Now a woodland sprite heard him, and had compassion on the bhikkhu, and thus upbraided him, 'Even though you, bhikkhu, speak scornfully of forest life, the wise desiring solitude think much of it,' and to show him the advantage of it spoke this verse: ---- 62 Ekakā 10 mayaɱ araññe viharāma|| Apaviddhaɱ va vanasmiɱ dārukaɱ|| Tassa me bahukā pihayanti|| Terayikā viya saggagāminanti.|| || ---- 62 Each by himself we in the forest live, Like logs rejected by the woodman's craft. And many a one did envy me my lot, Even as the hell-bound, him, he also moves to heaven. ---- Then the bhikkhu, stirred like a thoroughbred horse by the spur, went down into the avenue of insight, and striving soon won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that he thought, 'The fairy's verse has been my goad!' and he recited it himself. ---- 1 The son of the Vajjians, or simply, the Vajjian. See CXIX. 2 The Vajjians were a republic. ---- 1.7-2 62 Commentary on the stanza of =Vajjiputta Thera= The stanza starting with ekakāmayaṃ araññe constitutes that of the venerable Thera Vajjiputta. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home, at the time of the Blessed One VipassĪ, ninety one aeons (kappa) ago from now. On having attained the age of intelligence, he saw, on day, the Blessed One Vipassī, became pious-minded and made reverential offering of such flowers as of iron-wood tree the flowers with filaments (kesara) to him. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human-beings and was reborn in the family of a minister, when this Buddha arose. His name was Vajjiputta. On having seen the power of Buddha on the Blessed One’s arrival at Vesāli, he aptly gained pious faith, became a nonk, had his preliminary duties done, took hold of mental-exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and dwelt in a certain dense-forest not far from Vesālī. At that time also, there was a feast at Vesālī. Here and there, dancing, singing and music prevalled. Glad and joyful, the multitude of people aptly enjoyed the bliss of the feast; on having heard of it, that monk, emerging himself unwisely, had his solitude avoided, dismissed his mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and uttered a stanza in order to make manifest his own displeasure thus:– “We live singly in the forest, resembling a rejected log. At night there is but one to refer to (ādisika) Who, namely, is worse than us?” On having heard that stanza, the divinity residing in the dense forest, having sympathy for that monk, uttered a stanza, in order to show this circumstancial matter:– “O Monk! If also you say despising for forest-dwelling, the wise, who are desirious of seclusion, however, are much convinced about that life.” “You live alone in the forest, resembling a rejected log. Of that you, many are fond, similar to purgatory-people being fond of those going to heaven. Having recited the stanza, the divinity made him moved and frightened saying thus:– “O monk! Having become a monk in the dispensation of the well self-awakened Buddha which would lead you out (niyyānika) of saṃsāra, how is it that you would think wild thoughts?” Having been moved in this manner by that divinity, that monk, similar to an excellent thorough-bred horse specially struck with a whip, crossed down to the path of meditation to develop spiritual insight (vipassanā), indulged himself in the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “Having collected flowers of the iron- wood tree together with their pollens I specially offered them to Vipassī, the gold-complexioned self-awakened Buddha who was lilghting up all direc- tions similar to the sun of humdred rays and resembling the full-moon, the sovereign of the stars, surrounded by His disciples like unto the earth surrounded by oceans. It was ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago from now, that I made the offering of pollens. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my making reverential offering to Buddha. Forty five aeons ago, from now, I was a world-king of great strength endowed with seven gems, named Reṇu of the princely warrior class (Khattiya). My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, hawever, attained Arahantship, he pulled together his own manner of statement as well as that of the divinity saying to himself: “This stanza has become a driving goad for my attainment of Arahantship,” and recited the stanza:– 62. We dwell singly in the forest, rejected like a log in the wood. Of that me many are fond, similar to purgatory people being fond of those bound for heaven. The meaning of that stanza is:– Inspite of being similar to rejected broken log in the forest with the condition of not being wanted, mayaṃ ekakā means: all alone without any companion, araññe viharāma (we live in this forest); when I am living in this manner, however, tassa me bahukā pihayanti (of that me many are fond): many sons of good family who are in the form of desiring my welfare, specially aspire thus:– “Were we to live in the forest also, having given up household bondage similar to the Thera Vajjiputta, it would indeed be wonderful.” Just as what? Nerayikā yiya saggagāminaṃ means: Just as, namely, purgatory people, the creatures who were born in purgatory owing to their own evil deed, are envous of people going towards and reaching heaven saying:– “Were we to follow-suit in enjoying the bliss of heaven, having abandoned the suffering in purgatory it will be wonderful indeed;” this is the success in this manner; thus, is the meaning. Here again because of the disirability of the important plural practice (payoga) in himself he said thus: “Ekakā mayaṃ viharāma (singly we dwell);” again refering to the singleness of that welfare of his own he made the means (payoga) of singular number (ekavacana) as: “tassa me (of that me).” Both the expressions: ‘tassame’ and ‘saggagāminaṃ (of those going to heaven)’ desired (apekkhati) the word ‘pihayanti (are fond of) and the attribute (niddesa) of dative relation (sampadāna) should be seen in the sense of accusative case (upayoga). ‘Taṃ abhipatthenti (they specially aspired for it); thus also ‘they become, namely, those who specially wish for such sorts of qualities as dwelling in forest and so on;’ thus, having done, it has been said. Tassa me means: in other words, the qualities in that presence of mine; thus, is the significance. The Commentary on Stanza of the Thera Vajjiputta is complete. **********oOo********* ----